Hey friends! I've been trying to live more sustainably in 2016, and I was pretty bummed to learn that my favorite meal of all time (a cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate milkshake!) is actually really bad for the environment. Not only is beef production a big land and water consumer, it's also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. I've been trying to cut back on my meat consumption lately, and have been exploring vegan food options - no easy task for a burger-loving, veggie-phobe like myself! But thankfully, I discovered the wonderful world of chef Chloe Coscarelli. I went to check out her restaurant by CHLOE in New York City's Greenwich Village, and I was blown away. They make everything-you-can-dream-of vegan food: cupcakes, cookies, burgers, mac and cheese, bacon! 100% vegan, house-made daily. What!? Everything I tried was surprisingly delicious, and I can't wait to go back for more. I had no idea eating vegan could be this much fun. Keep reading to learn more, and see pics of all the yummy foods I tried:

This is the cute little storefront on Bleecker Street. I love the black and white striped awnings. Very classic.

Now of course the first thing I had to try was the burger. I decided to go for The Classic Burger - a tempeh-lentil-chia-walnut patty with pickles, onion, and beet ketchup on a potato roll. While it didn't have that juicy beef flavor, it was still really satisfying and quite delicious. If this is the future of vegan eating, I can definitely do this.

You can get a side of hot pink beet ketchup with your fries! Image via @lweatherbee

Next up I tried the mac and cheese, complete with shitake mushroom "bacon". I couldn't believe how tasty the mac and cheese was - made with sweet-potato and cashew cheese sauce. I never would have guessed it was vegan. I was a bit more hesitant about the mushroom "bacon". It looked sort of like real bacon, and less scary than I imagined. It was interesting - not bad, though not my favorite. The fries were really good. I also had hot chocolate and a chocolate-raspberry smoothie. I brought my own reusable cup for the smoothie, and they were cool about it, which was nice. The hot chocolate was so so good, and the vegan marshmallows were fantastic! More please :)

The whole shop is really cute, and every detail is really well thought out. Creative Director Samantha Wasser and Paperwhite Studio did a great job with the graphics and branding. How could you resist walking into a place like this?

The interior design was done by Dekar Design, and it's totally adorable. The space has a cheerful, casual vibe and the designers were careful to use only natural, non-animal derived fabrics for the design. Very impressive. You can learn more about the interior design, and read a great interview with the team at Dekar Design here.

Don't by scared - give vegan eating a try, and you might be pleasantly surprised. Be sure to check out by CHLOE when you are in NYC. It's a big hit, and I'm sure it won't be long until she's coming to a location near you!